Smart airport apps

Whether you only fly once or twice a year for a holiday or whether your job revolves around life in the air, technology can be your best friend. Mobile apps are huge, and unless you live in a cave, you are probably well aware of just how big they are and maybe even have a smart device capable of running them. Airport apps may not be the first thing that springs to mind but here are a few that really do make the whole flight experience easier to deal with.

Gate Guru

This is a smart free app that has masses of information at the tap of a screen. Boasting a comprehensive range of airports the app can get you information on what you can expect to find if you are headed to an airport for the first time. It tells you what shops and food halls you will find, as well as other amenities and thankfully, is kept very up to date so you should never be fed false information.

LoungeBuddy

Sticking the free category what have you go to lose. Just tell the app where you are, and you will be able to see information about the lounge facilities on offer. Input your ticket status to see what you are entitled to use. The app encourages users to rate the lounges and leave pictures and reviews so that other passengers can see where is good and where might not hit the mark.

FlySmart

Another free app. On the surface, this might seem to be just an alternative to GateGuru, but what you get as an extra here is information on flight delays. This is pretty invaluable as the sooner you know your flight has been delayed, the sooner you can start making your contingency plans and letting the important people in your life know what is happening. Sometimes the airport itself is so caught up in trying to get things moving they can be a little slow off the mark, so be warned other travellers might see you as a source of information once they know you have the app! It does have all the information on resources within the airport so you can also see what shops and eateries are around – which is pretty useful if you are going to be waiting around for a while.

The Missing App!

One app we have not been able to track down is a flight delay compensation app, but we are sure there are some out there. If you are delayed, it is helpful to know what to expect. Obviously, the plan is to get you up in the air as quickly as possible, but if you are delayed for over two hours, there are various compensation points that should trigger. Initially, these will include food and drink vouchers, but in cases of more extended delay, the airport staff should be making accommodation arrangements if these are needed. If you have been delayed for over three hours and are departing from an EU airport, you can also make a formal claim for compensation once the dust has settled.